ITO Special Guest: Dr Jeff Standridge (Part 1)

Adam and Jon catch up after a couple of weeks apart — Jon having just returned from the Long Range Rifle World Championships with the GB team. Adam had been recording an interview with Dr Jeff Standridge from Arkansas. There was so much ground to cover that this is part one of two, packed podcasts.

Guest Dr Jeff Standridge — Growth Strategist | Innovation Consultant | Bestselling Author | Educator at the University of Central Arkansas | Venture Investor | Pilot

Originally posted: https://www.intheoffice.io/vlog-episode-8

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Show Notes

• Hybrid working then vs nowJeff's company had a formal work-from-home policy as far back as the mid-1990sIt was intentional, employees needed a dedicated desk, ergonomic chair, and childcare in placeProductivity was monitored and the company reserved the right to bring people back in

• What "doing hybrid well" actually looks likeRegular, structured team catch-ups (same day, same time, every week)Looking for in-person opportunities: aiming for around 75% attendance when they do gatherSelecting employees for their ability to work in an unstructured environment during recruitmentTraining people to utilise Hybrid Working, rather than assuming everyone can just do it

Culture in a hybrid world

• Culture doesn't stop developing just because people aren't in the same room
• The elements of a "culture of excellence" are the same regardless of where people work
• Core values only mean something if you actually hire and fire by them: "if they're just flowery words on a wall, they're not core and they're not values"

Measuring productivity — is there a better way?

• Jeff's approach: quarterly priorities down to the individual (3–5 per person), reviewed weekly
• Simple check-in: are you on track or off track? If off-track, is it under control or do you need help?
• No blame. Just honest conversation and support
• 100% accountability means flagging a problem before it becomes a crisis, not hoping nobody notices

Trust and accountability, two sides of the same coin

• You can't have one without the other
• Tough conversations done well should leave someone feeling stronger, not weaker
• The CMI reports that 82% of UK managers are "accidental managers" with no formal training, a significant contributor to the 400,000+ people in the UK currently signed off long-term sick due to mental illness

Investment and portfolio theory

• Jeff's VC benchmark: 7–10x return in 5–7 years
• As much about the people as the numbers, every interaction with a founder is part of the interview
• "Fall in love with the problem, not the solution" (credit: Ash Maurya, Running Lean)
• People will complain about a nuisance. They won't pay to have someone solve it

On writing books that stay relevant

• Technical books have a half-life of around 12–14 months
• Books on leadership principles, innovation process, and human nature tend to stand the test of time
• Jeff's own books — The Innovator's Field Guide, The Top Performer's Field Guide, and co-authored Creating Startup Junkies — focuses on principles rather than roadmaps for exactly this reason

Books & References Mentioned

• The Wisdom of Teams — Jon Katzenbach (1994)
• Good to Great — Jim Collins
• Running Lean — Ash Maurya
• The Innovator's Field Guide — Dr Jeff Standridge
• The Top Performer's Field Guide — Dr Jeff Standridge
• Creating Startup Junkies — Dr Jeff Standridge et al.

Coming Up in Part 2

• What does an innovation consultant actually do?
• Jeff's daily routines and habits
• What he teaches entrepreneurs and startup founders — and what the big three lessons are